Federal Agency: Address language, culture, literacy, and access barriers in all published materials and activities

  To communicate most effectively within the AUCD network and across communities, all published materials and meetings should be executed with language, literacy, and cultural access in mind, at the highest quality possible. The goal of network centers and programs must be to ensure information is available to the communities being served.

Federal Agency: Conduct research that is responsive to needs of and engages with underserved communities

  Researchers who work with underserved communities must build research partnerships with communities. Historically, there has been noted tension between how research is conducted and with whom, how those who are subjects of the research fit into the world that researchers create, and how research findings are shared. Best practices point to including underrepresented and underserved populations in research activities through community responsiveness and engagement.

Federal Agency: Create and promote a safe and inclusive environment in all settings (office, clinic, school, others)

It is essential for organizations within the AUCD Network to maintain safe spaces. In the Toolkit team information-gathering process, many respondents recommended cultivating safe and effective spaces for cultural conversations to support the needs of all stakeholders. Safe spaces are environments created for people to feel comfortable having authentic dialogue.

Federal Agency: Create and utilize funding sources to support diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence efforts

In order to stand by the mission of diversity and inclusion, funders and funding must accompany the call for increased recruitment, research, and implementation. Investing in diversity and inclusion with funding support shows true commitment to transforming the workforce to reflect the population served. Many funders are beginning to recognize the value in funding initiatives solely focused on diversity. For example, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (2015), states: We believe the Fund has a moral obligation to do its part to address past and current injustices to groups that have been historically disadvantaged and socially, politically, and economically excluded… In pursuing our social change mission, we seek to manage our philanthropic programs and organizational culture in a manner that embraces diversity and inclusion.

Federal Agency: Develop and nurture partnerships with organizations representing or affiliated with diverse communities

Implementing diversity and inclusion successfully means engaging and creating relationships with organizations and communities that work with diverse populations. Without expanding into unfamiliar territory and working with organizations who are experts in this area, the AUCD network will not know what is, or who are, in the communities that may be essential to the understanding and expansion of the individuals and communities served.

Federal Agency: Develop infrastructure that supports diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence; and builds capacity to address and reduce inequities and disparities

In order for the AUCD network to be successful in implementing activities of diversity and inclusion, we must develop an infrastructure that supports inclusive and diverse activities, addressing and eliminating inequities and disparities.

Federal Agency: Engage in educational and career pipeline activities for staff, faculty and trainees

Cultivating diversity pipelines is a widely recognized strategy for increasing diversity in a variety of multidisciplinary fields. In general, pipeline activities are meant to increase diversity in a workforce or educational setting through focusing on recruiting activities from diversity groups (Johnson, 2012).

Federal Agency: Establish collaborative relationships and share resources across network

The Toolkit information-gathering process consistently identified a priority of establishing collaborative relationships and sharing resources throughout the AUCD Network. Resource and information sharing relationships can be mutually beneficial.

Federal Agency: Establish guidance and measure progress toward diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence

To know if the AUCD network is improving practices in diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence, established guidance should be followed and progress measured. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the 2000 Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, and other key pieces of federal legislation all address access and rights of people with disabilities and people of diverse backgrounds. Compliance with these guidelines is critical.

Federal Agency: Establish mentorship programs to support professional development of staff, faculty and trainees

Mentoring has many benefits in the workplace, including being linked to enhancing helping behavior, situational satisfaction and attachment, and interpersonal relationships (Eby, Allen, Evans, Ng, & DuBois, 2008). Workplace mentoring, work attitudes, and some career outcomes are significantly related (Allen, Eby, Poteet, Lentz, & Lima, 2004; Underhill, 2006).

Federal Agency: Provide accessible, culturally and linguistically competent services

The AUCD Network represents and serves multiple diverse populations with many linguistic variations. Thus, our network organizations must provide and address access boldly. This means accessible, culturally and linguistically competent clinical, educational, and community services developed to reach and best serve diverse constituents.

Federal Agency: Provide and participate in ongoing staff and faculty training

Ongoing training is important in any workplace. As the responsibilities, duties, and tasks of people grow and change, they too must learn and grow. Workplace learning takes place informally as well as formally, and it is important to maximize those opportunities.

Federal Agency: Recruit and retain a diverse trainee pool

Recruiting and retaining a diverse pool of trainees has been widely recognized as improving workforce diversity and improving services, especially in the health care field. The CLAS Standards (pp. 15-16) highlight "an increased need for health and health care professionals and organizations to provide effective, high-quality care that is responsive to the diverse cultural and linguistic needs of individuals served.

National Organization: Address language, culture, literacy, and access barriers in all published materials and activities

To communicate most effectively within the AUCD network and across communities, all published materials and meetings should be executed with language, literacy, and cultural access in mind, at the highest quality possible. The goal of network centers and programs must be to ensure information is available to the communities being served.

National Organization: Conduct research that is responsive to needs of and engages with underserved communities

  Researchers who work with underserved communities must build research partnerships with communities. Historically, there has been noted tension between how research is conducted and with whom, how those who are subjects of the research fit into the world that researchers create, and how research findings are shared. Best practices point to including underrepresented and underserved populations in research activities through community responsiveness and engagement.

National Organization: Create and promote a safe and inclusive environment in all settings (office, clinic, school, others)

It is essential for organizations within the AUCD Network to maintain safe spaces. In the Toolkit team information-gathering process, many respondents recommended cultivating safe and effective spaces for cultural conversations to support the needs of all stakeholders. Safe spaces are environments created for people to feel comfortable having authentic dialogue.

National Organization: Create and utilize funding sources to support diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence efforts

In order to stand by the mission of diversity and inclusion, funders and funding must accompany the call for increased recruitment, research, and implementation. Investing in diversity and inclusion with funding support shows true commitment to transforming the workforce to reflect the population served. Many funders are beginning to recognize the value in funding initiatives solely focused on diversity. For example, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (2015), states: We believe the Fund has a moral obligation to do its part to address past and current injustices to groups that have been historically disadvantaged and socially, politically, and economically excluded… In pursuing our social change mission, we seek to manage our philanthropic programs and organizational culture in a manner that embraces diversity and inclusion.

National Organization: Develop and nurture partnerships with organizations representing or affiliated with diverse communities

Implementing diversity and inclusion successfully means engaging and creating relationships with organizations and communities that work with diverse populations. Without expanding into unfamiliar territory and working with organizations who are experts in this area, the AUCD network will not know what is, or who are, in the communities that may be essential to the understanding and expansion of the individuals and communities served.

National Organization: Develop infrastructure that supports diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence; and builds capacity to address and reduce inequities and disparities

In order for the AUCD network to be successful in implementing activities of diversity and inclusion, we must develop an infrastructure that supports inclusive and diverse activities, addressing and eliminating inequities and disparities.

National Organization: Engage in educational and career pipeline activities for staff, faculty and trainees

Cultivating diversity pipelines is a widely recognized strategy for increasing diversity in a variety of multidisciplinary fields. In general, pipeline activities are meant to increase diversity in a workforce or educational setting through focusing on recruiting activities from diversity groups (Johnson, 2012).

National Organization: Establish collaborative relationships and share resources across network

National Organization: Establish guidance and measure progress toward diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence

To know if the AUCD network is improving practices in diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competence, established guidance should be followed and progress measured. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the 2000 Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, and other key pieces of federal legislation all address access and rights of people with disabilities and people of diverse backgrounds. Compliance with these guidelines is critical.

National Organization: Establish mentorship programs to support professional development of staff, faculty and trainees

Mentoring has many benefits in the workplace, including being linked to enhancing helping behavior, situational satisfaction and attachment, and interpersonal relationships (Eby, Allen, Evans, Ng, & DuBois, 2008). Workplace mentoring, work attitudes, and some career outcomes are significantly related (Allen, Eby, Poteet, Lentz, & Lima, 2004; Underhill, 2006).

National Organization: Hire and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce of staff and faculty

Efforts to recruit and retain a diverse workforce is beneficial not just for employees and organizations but for consumers as well. As we become increasingly diverse as a nation, it is imperative that our workforce, including that of the AUCD Network, reflects both the general population and the populations of those we serve.

National Organization: Provide accessible, culturally and linguistically competent services

The AUCD Network represents and serves multiple diverse populations with many linguistic variations. Thus, our network organizations must provide and address access boldly. This means accessible, culturally and linguistically competent clinical, educational, and community services developed to reach and best serve diverse constituents.